The Wardens' Story
by Marvey4
Summary: This is the story of how four individuals from different backgrounds, banded together by the same joining, battled the Blight and shaped a country. Featuring Cousland, Tabris, Mahariel and Amell with possible appearances by other origins. Any pairings are undecided yet.
1. Prologue: Cousland

Prologue: Cousland

"You didn't have to go through all that trouble you know"

"That guy was asking for it, my friend. You don't treat a lady like that."

The young elven woman laughed as she and her companion walked towards the Castle of Highever. She was quite pretty, with shoulder length blond hair and green eyes.

"As if there are no nobles who flirt with every pretty girl they see. You see that every day, Anrothan." She said with a smirk.

Her companion, a tall, blond man with blue eyes, sighed in response.

"You have a point there Nesiara. I am not saying that all nobles are that bad. Just that there is at least one issue at every gathering where someone gets drunk and hits on the servants." He said with a hint of exasperation that was soon replaced by a smirk.

"Besides, you are getting married tomorrow. I don't want to explain to Cyrion how his future daughter in law is the perfect match for his son yet." Anrothan said as Nesiara quirked an eyebrow.

"What did you exactly tell the hahren of the Denerim alienage about me?" She asked with amusement.

"That you are a beautiful girl who is a veritable genius with crafts." He simply answered, receiving a playful nudge on the shoulder from Nesiara.

"You are such a tease sometimes." Nesiara said as the two reached the castle. "The soldiers are more active than usual. Did something happen?" She added as a squad passed by them.

"The Korcari Wilds are swarming with darkspawn these past days. Father received word from the king to deploy his men just a couple of days ago." Anrothan said, all previous playfulness gone.

"Darkspawn? I thought they were long gone four ages ago." Nesiara said with a surprised expression.

"It seems like we were wrong to believe so." Anrothan said as a soldier hastily approached him.

"My lord, your father requests your presence in the main hall." He said.

"I was wondering when would Father call for me." The young noble said as he turned to his companion. "I am afraid I must tend to my task. You will leave for Denerim in the afternoon?"

"I totally understand if you won't be able to see me off my lord, since you'll have your hands full all day. I'm just a girl from the alienage after all." Nesiara said half jokingly and half seriously.

"Nonsense. Both you and Tyler are dear friends to me. I shall see you off properly when it is time and I will manage to attend your wedding." Anrothan said as he chuckled. "But for now, it is best that I do not test Father's patience. My thanks for informing me Ben. I will go see what Father wants to tell me."

The soldier nodded in respect and went back to his post.

"I'll go check up on Nelaros then. Have fun!" Nesiara said as she too left. Anrothan made his way towards the main hall of the castle. As he approached the half opened door, he heard two familiar voices.

"I trust then that your men will be here shortly?"

"I apologize Bryce, this is entirely my fault."

"Do not fret my friend. I only received the call from the king a few days ago."

'It seems like Father is talking to Uncle Rendon.' Anrothan thought as he got in the room. The Teyrn turned at the sound of the door being closed and smiled.

"I'm sorry pup, I didn't see you." He said as he turned to Rendon Howe. "Rendon, you remember my youngest right?"

"It would be really hard to forget Anrothan your lordship. Thomas talks every day about your victory in the last tournament. Pleased to see that you are well, lad." Howe said with a slight smirk.

"And you, Uncle Rendon. Did I hear correctly? Your men are not here yet?" Anrothan said.

"Straight to the point as always. You heard right lad." Howe said with a slight nod. "My men got caught up in bad weather. They are due to arrive by tomorrow."

"That's good to know. With the darkspawn threat increasing day by day, we need every man and woman able to bear arms ready to fight." Bryce said.

"Delilah asked about you the other day. I think she's starting to show an interest in you." Howe added.

"I hardly remember her being interested in me the last time we met uncle. If I recall correctly, she called me a loudmouth brawler who is only interested in showing his superiority in fighting. On top of that, she is four years younger than me." Anrothan said as he chuckled.

"If I didn't know any better, old friend, I'd say you wish for my youngest to get married to your daughter." Bryce said with a knowing look.

"I might be exaggerating, I admit." Howe said in defeat.

"At any rate pup, I summoned you here to tell you that you'll be in charge of the castle for as long as your brother and I fight in the south." Bryce said.

"What? Why can't I join the fight?" Anrothan almost shouted while the guards that were inside the hall didn't know what to do.

"I'm sure you'd prove yourself in battle pup, but your mother would tie me in knots if I took you with me as well. She's already worried sick about me and Fergus going." The Teyrn said, already expecting his son's reaction to the news.

"I have already done more than prove myself lately Father. I train every day for situations such as this!" Anrothan said as he took a breath and tried to calm himself. "Let me talk to Mother. I am sure I can convince her."

"I doubt that. She made it clear that there is no room for debate." Bryce said. "This is no small task I'm giving you pup. A squad will stay in the castle to help you maintain order. You know what they say about the mice when the cat's away, yes?"

"I… understand." Anrothan said, though it was clear that he was still angry.

"Now that that's taken care of-" Bryce said as he turned to a guard. "Please show Duncan in."

"Master Duncan is here?" Anrothan said in surprise, his earlier anger momentarily gone at the opportunity to talk to the old warden.

"He arrived earlier to make sure that we are properly prepared to face the darkspawn." Bryce said as the guard that he talked to before gave the signal to let Duncan in.

"Your lordship, you didn't mention that a Grey Warden would be here." Howe nervously said.

"He showed up unannounced. It's a habit of his it seems." Bryce said with a surprised tone as he quirked an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

"Of course not, but a guest of this stature demands certain protocol. I'm… at a disadvantage." Howe hastily said. There was something in the man's tone that didn't sit well with Anrothan; however, the Teyrn didn't seem to notice anything.

"Duncan cares little about titles Rendon, and from my experience few wardens do. I'm sure he won't mind." Bryce said as the gates opened and the warden commander entered the hall.

"It is an honor to be a guest in your hall Teyrn Cousland." Duncan said as he approached the three nobles.

"Master Duncan! It is good to see you again." Anrothan said with a bright smile before any of the older nobles could talk.

"The feeling is mutual Anrothan. I only wish it were under more pleasant circumstances." Duncan said, showing hints of a smile as well.

"Duncan came to Highever for recruits pup. I believe he has his eye on Sir Gilmore." Bryce said.

"Roderick is a fine warrior. I am sure that he would make an excellent warden." Anrothan said. The young noble noticed that Duncan looked as if he wanted to say something.

"If I may be so bold, your lordship-" the warden started with some hesitance. "Anrothan would make an excellent candidate as well."

The Teyrn moved in front of his son, as if to hide him from Duncan's view, and glared at the warden.

"We've talked about this before Duncan. This is one of my sons you are talking about." He said.

"And have I no say in this? I believe I am in the proper age to make my own decisions, Father." Anrothan said as he moved in order to be fully seen by Duncan.

"Fergus is already heading to war and I don't wish for both of my children to follow that path. You shouldn't think only as a warrior, my son." Bryce said as he looked at Anrothan before he turned back to the warden. "Unless you intend to invoke the Right of Conscription…"

"Have no fear old friend. I may be looking for recruits, but I don't wish to damage any relations I have in the process." Duncan said in a reassuring tone, which seemed to work as the Teyrn visibly relaxed.

"In the meantime, I want you pup to find Fergus and tell him to leave with the soldiers ahead of me. There is a high possibility of the darkspawn attacking at any time so it's best to send our support as soon as we can." Bryce said to Anrothan.

"Of course, Father." The young noble said, barely hiding his vexation, as he headed for the door.

"Anrothan is eager to step out of his brother's shadow Bryce. In time, you won't be able to make the choices for his future." Howe said when Anrothan got out of the hall.

"I know my friend. He has grown up. And with that, his temper as well." Bryce said as he shook his head. "At any rate, we should talk our course of action in the south."

* * *

Once he got out, Anrothan headed to the dining room which was located close to the main hall. The young noble stood in front of a long table and looked as if he was checking the stuff that adorned the furniture. Suddenly, he flipped over the table while shouting in anger, scaring the servants who were inside the room in the process. The blond man then sat in a chair that was still standing and buried his face in his right hand.

"It is unwise to be in my company right now, Roderick." Anrothan said as a young man, clad in a knight's armor, came into his view.

"I apologize my lord, but your mabari got into the larder." Sir Gilmore said between panting. Anrothan noticed that the young knight's flaming orange hair was disheveled and he was dripping sweat, most likely from running all the way to him.

"Again?" The blond noble said, earning a nod from the knight.

"And Nan is threatening to quit." He added.

"Again." Anrothan repeated in mid exasperation and amusement. "She has been in the castle for years. I doubt she is considering leaving at this point."

"Maybe so, but your mother asked me to tell you to get the mabari out of the larder before he bites someone's hand off. You know that he only listens to you my lord." Sir Gilmore said.

"Félagi knows better than to injure someone in the castle." Anrothan said as he got up. "But I suppose I should go collect him to be sure."

"There is also something else I want to ask you, my lord." Sir Gilmore said as he walked alongside the young noble.

"What is it Roderick?" Anrothan said.

"Is it true that Lord Duncan is here?" The knight asked.

"He arrived just today. Is something the matter?" Anrothan asked, one eyebrow raised from curiosity.

"Nothing. It's just that, I heard he is looking for recruits." Sir Gilmore said.

"Indeed he is." Anrothan confirmed.

"I thought it must have been rumors since he recruited Sir Jory a month ago. But then I heard that he got impressed by my performance in the last tournament and wanted to test me as a possible recruit." The red haired knight said with a hopeful tone.

"From what I gathered, he is in fact considering it." The young noble said with a smile as the knight brightened.

"Maker's breath! Are you certain? Can you imagine? Me? A Grey Warden! It would be everything I ever dreamed of!" Sir Gilmore said with excitement before he cleared his throat. "Of course, I shouldn't get too ahead of myself. Pardon my outburst, my lord." He awkwardly added as Anrothan laughed.

"Do not worry my friend. Your enthusiasm is admirable." The young noble said as the door to the kitchen suddenly opened and Nan came out.

"You! And you!" She snapped at both of them. "Get that mongrel out of the larder or I'll…"

"Calm down Nan." Anrothan said, interrupting the old woman. "You are under a lot of stress because of all the preparations. I completely understand. Now if you allow me, I shall collect Félagi so that you can proceed with your job."

"In you go then, get your mutt." Nan said with exasperation as the two men got inside the larder where the mabari ran in circles and barked at something.

"What is it boy? Did you find something?" Anrothan said as he kneeled. Félagi abruptly turned at the sound of his master's voice and happily bounced towards him with something in his mouth.

"Is that a giant rat? It's like the start of every bad adventure tale my grandpa used to tell." Sir Gilmore said as Anrothan scratched Félagi's ear.

"Well done Félagi. Are there more?" The noble asked. The mabari nodded his head negatively in response.

"Good job boy." Anrothan said with a grin as Félagi happily barked.

"Well? Do you have him under control child?" Nan shouted from the other side of the door.

"You can open the door Nan. There were giant rats in the larder but Félagi took care of them." Anrothan shouted back. The door was abruptly opened as Nan came rushing in.

"Rats you say? Out, all of you! I have some cleaning up to do." The old woman said as she shooed the two men and the dog out of the larder. Anrothan laughed at the antics of Nan and Sir Gilmore had an odd mixture of amusement and worry on his face. Félagi, on the other hand, stormed off to a random direction.

"My lord, your mabari ran away again." The knight said as he turned to the young noble.

"He will be fine. Worst case scenario, he will barge in Father's council or head towards Mother." Anrothan said while munching on a big piece of cheese. The noble winked at the female servant's direction and patted Sir Gilmore on the shoulder as he got out of the kitchen.

"Our job here is done, Roderick. Come, let us be on our way." He said.

"I'll be on my way then. I'm to prepare for the Arl's men my lord." Sir Gilmore said.

"Will you have time for sparring later Roderick?" Anrothan asked before the knight left.

"I think so. Until then." Sir Gilmore said as he slightly bowed and left for his task.

"I better go search for Félagi then. There is no need to tell Fergus that he rides today for the moment. Who knows how long it will be before he sees his wife and son again?" Anrothan said to himself as he started looking for all the possible places his mabari could be. After some searching and poking around, he ended up in the treasury where he caught the guards playing poker.

"Good morning gentlemen." He said with an impassive expression, causing the guards to jump from their seats and quickly turn towards him in alert.

"My lord! Uh, we were just…" One guard nervously started.

"Taking a break?" The young noble said with a smile, dropping the act.

"Uh, well, no one has come in the treasury before. We wonder why the Teyrn has us stationed here." The other guard said.

"There are important items inside the treasury. We must keep them in check at all times." Anrothan chuckled. "But I won't tell my father about your little game. Just promise me that you will not let anyone else sneak up on you like that."

"Of course my lord. Thank you for your leniency." Both guards said at the same time as Anrothan waved at them and left the room.

"As I thought, Félagi is most likely with Mother." The young noble said once he reached the atrium and noticed that his mabari was lying next to the Teyrna. Who had guests.

"And my dear Bryce brought this back from Orlais a year ago. The marquis who gave it to him was drunk, I understand, and mistook him for the king." Eleanor said as she showed a painting on the wall.

"Knowing Cailan's taste, he would probably give that painting to Father anyway." Anrothan said as he approached the small group that have gathered. The Teyrna smiled once she saw him.

"Ah, here is my younger son. I take it that the situation in the kitchen is settled?" She said.

"It turned out that Félagi here was chasing a couple of rats that snuck into the larder. They were some big rats." Anrothan said as he tried to show the approximate size of the rats with his hands.

"Ah, marvelous. Just the thing my guests need to hear before supper. Darling, you remember Lady Landra? Bann Loren's wife?" Eleanor said as she gestured at the other woman.

"I think we last met at your mother's spring salon." Lady Landra said.

"Where you spent half of the salon shamelessly flirting with Lord Anrothan, Mother. Right in front of your family too." Dairren, Lady Landra's son, stated.

"Yeah, that was not awkward at all. Still, it is good to see you again my lady." Anrothan said with a slight bow.

"You are too kind dear boy." Lady Landra said as she chuckled. "You remember my son, Dairren? You two sparred in the last tournament if I remember correctly."

"And you beat me handily as I recall. Me and everyone else that is. It's good to see you my lord." Dairren said as he and Anrothan shook hands.

"Now you are being modest, my friend. The way I remember things, you gave me a hard time when we sparred." Anrothan said with a smile.

"And this is my lady-in-waiting Iona." Lady Landra continued as she gestured to her shy elven maid. "Do say something dear."

"It is a great honor my lord. I have heard so many things about you." Iona hurriedly said with wonder in her eyes.

"Did you now?" Anrothan said with a mischievous smile. "Like what exactly?"

The young maid slightly blushed, but she continued talking.

"About your victories in various tournaments and your skill with a sword, among other things." She said, mumbling the last part.

"Don't look now Eleanor, but I believe the girl has a crush on your boy." Lady Landra said with a sly smile.

"Lady Landra!" Was Iona's flustered reply.

"Hush Landra, you'll turn the poor thing scarlet." Eleanor said with a mixture or amusement and exasperation.

"I believe I can handle my own affairs Mother." Anrothan said while winking towards his mother who shook her head in exasperation.

"All evidence to the contrary my dear." Eleanor said.

"I think I will retire to the guest room Eleanor. Good day my lord." Lady Landra said as she left the atrium.

"And we'll head for the study. See you later my lord." Dairren said while Iona nodded. Once both of them were out of sight, Anrothan knelt and petted Félagi.

"Have you talked with Father about my duties?" The young noble said, though he already knew the answer.

"I know the last thing you want to do is stay behind while your father and brother head to battle my son, but there are other duties that we, as Couslands, have to do. It's not only fighting that's important." The Teyrna said as Anrothan got up.

"But I can make a difference!" He said.

"And you will." Eleanor immediately said. "Just not on the battlefield of Ostagar. You'll get your chance soon enough."

"I know about that. Even so, I have a bad feeling about this." Anrothan said.

"As do I. Bryce and Fergus will be marching against Maker-knows-what. All the reassurances in the world aren't enough to comfort me. But they have their duty and we have ours. It would barely do any good if we took up arms as well." Eleanor said.

"At any rate, you should go say goodbye to Fergus before he leaves." She quickly added as Anrothan nodded.

"Father did ask me to tell him to leave with the men today. And I was considering letting him spend what little time he has with his family. Oh well. Good day, Mother." The young noble said as he was about to go to Fergus when his mother's voice stopped him.

"I love you dear. You know that, right?" She worriedly said.

"What brought this on Mother?" Anrothan asked with a slight chuckle as he looked back.

"You've grown up so fast, and now Bryce is leaving you in charge of the castle." Eleanor said as she sighed. "But there's no point in dwelling on this now. I'll see you soon, my son."

"If you say so." Anrothan said as he left the atrium. Passing by the guest hall, he looked at himself in the mirror that adorned the wall on the right.

"I really need to shave tomorrow." He said to himself as he inspected his face.

"Is there really going to be a war papa? Will you bring me back a sward?"

Anrothan smiled at the sound of that voice. He would recognize his beloved nephew's voice anywhere. Opening the door to the family hall, he saw his brother Fergus talking to his wife and son.

"Don't frighten the boy, love. I speak the truth." Fergus said. Anrothan knew that his brother adored his family and that he would do anything in his power to keep them safe. And at his moment he wanted to encourage them to be more positive about the war's outcome.

"And what would that be Brother?" He said as he entered the room.

"That I'll come back before you know it. The army is gaining victories against the darkspawn every day. To be honest, I'm starting to doubt whether that's actually a blight or just a large raid." Fergus said.

"Could that be true?" Oriana, his wife, asked with uncertainty.

"I'll see for myself soon enough. Pray for me, love, and I'll be back within a month or two." Fergus responded as he kissed his wife.

"Yuck! Gross!" Oren said as he looked at a random direction.

"As much fun as it is to watch you lovebirds, I am here to tell you that Father wants you to march today. Without him. He will leave in the morning with Uncle Rendon." Anrothan said, causing Fergus to sigh.

"Then the Arl's men are delayed. You'd think his men were all walking backwards." The older of the two brothers said as if he was expecting it.

"Now now Fergus. You can't exactly blame them for having problems with bad weather." The Teyrn said as he and the Teyrna entered the room.

"Be well my son. I will pray every day for your safe return." Eleanor said.

"You could have delivered the message yourself Father." Anrothan said with a smirk.

"And miss having both my sons in one place before I leave? Not likely." Bryce said, matching his younger son's expression.

"The Maker sustain and preserve us all. Watch over our sons, husbands and fathers and bring them safely back to us." Oriana said in the form of a prayer.

"And some ale and wenches while you are at it!" Fergus suddenly said, effectively changing the mood.

"Fergus!" Oriana cried in surprise.

"For the men of course." Fergus quickly said in order to save face.

"I would not mind a nice pint of ale right now though." Anrothan chimed in.

"What's a wench? Is that what you pull on to get the water out of the well?" Oren innocently asked.

"A wench is a woman who pours ale in a tavern, Oren. Or a woman who drinks a lot of it." Bryce answered while Oriana sighed in relief thanks to the Teyrn's quick response.

"Bryce! I swear, sometimes it's like living with a pack of small boys." Eleanor said as she shook her head, causing Fergus to chuckle.

"I'll miss you dear mother. Brother, you will take care of her, won't you?" He said as he turned to Anrothan.

"Mother will be fine Brother. She always has. I am more worried about you though. Being outside, in the cold. What are you going to do without my support?" The younger Cousland said.

"I agree. Especially if you get yourself injured. I will never forgive you." Oriana said as Fergus scratched his head.

"Now that would be some incentive, don't you agree? But it'd be fun fighting side by side with you, Brother." He said as he sighed. "Maybe next time."

"I shall hold you to that, Brother." Anrothan said as the two brothers exchanged a quick hug. "Come back safe."

A tug on Anrothan's trousers caused to look down to his nephew.

"Is something the matter Oren?" He asked.

"Mama says you're going to be watching over us while papa is gone. Is that true uncle?" Oren asked.

"You can count on me kid. I shall keep you safe." Anrothan said with a grin.

"But what if dragons attack the castle?" Oren curiously asked.

"Dragons are bad creatures Oren. They eat people." His mother said.

"Yeah! I wanna see one!" Oren said with enthusiasm.

"This is your influence, Fergus." Oriana said.

"What? I didn't say anything." The older Cousland said in defense.

"Will you teach me how to use a sward uncle?" Oren said.

"So that you can kill the dragons?" Anrothan said with amusement.

"Yeah!" Oren answered as he started swinging an imaginary sword. "Take that, dire bunny! Fear my sward of truthiness!"

"You bet kid! Let us go at this moment!" Anrothan said with enthusiasm.

"Fergus, your family still confuses me some times." Oriana said as she sighed.

"Now now. Mind your mother Oren." Fergus said as Oren started whining. Anrothan laughed as he picked up his nephew and placed him on his shoulder.

"Do not worry Oren. One day, you will grow up to become a strong man like your father and your uncle." He said as Oren brightened.

"And I'll use a sward?" The kid excitedly asked.

"You will be the best!" Anrothan reassured him. The rest of the family smiled at the scene.

"As much as I'd like to let you two play, you need to sleep early pup. You have a lot to do tomorrow." Bryce said as Anrothan put Oren down.

"I have no other choice, don't I?" The younger Cousland said. "Very well."

"I'll come with you. There are still matters which I need to discuss with Duncan and Rendon." The Teyrn said.

'That's odd. I would expect Father to want to spend as much time as he can with Fergus before he leaves. Why would he go talk with Master Duncan and Uncle Rendon now?' Anrothan thought. After the two of them bid their farewells to the rest of the family, they got out of the room, followed by Félagi.

"Is something wrong Father?" He finally asked.

"Did Rendon's reaction when I talked about Duncan seem suspicious to you pup?" Bryce said, causing Anrothan to abruptly turn towards his father.

"You saw that too? I thought it was just me." He said with a surprised expression.

"So I wasn't the only one to notice it. This is troublesome." Bryce said, seemingly in thought.

"Please be careful, Father. I have been having a bad feeling all day. Take some extra guards with you and tell the soldiers to be alerted for anything suspicious." Anrothan said.

"I'll think of something. Don't trouble yourself pup. For now, go get some rest. I would recommend keeping Félagi with you at all times though." Bryce said while Félagi barked in agreement.

"Will do Father. Good night. Come on boy." Anrothan said as he gestured to his mabari and got inside his room.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hello people! Welcome to another story by me. It's quite improbable that you know this right now, but I got three more stories (at this time) on this site, all from different anime and games. Yeah, that's how random I am. Truth be told, one of the reasons I joined this site was to start my own Dragon Age story. That, and the whole concept of writing a story in the first place. And because I wanted to do it justice, I wanted to improve my English and my writing skills first. Well, I had some new ideas over these two years which are exactly that, stories that I wanted to write because I wanted to and not just an experiment. And the reason I'm doing this a multi-origins story (yes, another one of those) is thanks to the lovely Naryfiel Lilith and her story "The Wardens' Tale" here on this site. I definitely advise you to check it out. And now I'm rambling. Anyway, as I was saying, the first origin is Cousland, which is obvious if you have reached that part of the chapter. Next will be Tabris (that's Tyler for those who didn't get that), Mahariel and lastly Amell. Other origins might appear later, possibly. And yes, I know that there were many parts that were pretty much directly from game dialogues, but hey, a guy's gotta adapt first, no? Do tell me what your opinions are on this, what do you think of Anrothan and whether I portrayed the rest of the characters well, and generally if whatever I wrote above makes sense. (Quick note: Anrothan is of Celtic origin. It means second to the king. Félagi is ancient Norse and it means comrade) **

**Long Author's Note is long. Anyway, hope I see you guys on the next update which will hopefully be during this week. See you later!**


	2. Prologue: Cousland - Betrayal

Prologue: Cousland - Betrayal

Anrothan couldn't sleep.

The events of the day troubled him. Not only had they received word that the darkspawn threat was rising, but he was told to stay behind in his father's stead while the Teyrn and Fergus would ride to battle in the south. But that wasn't his main concern. His father had seen it too; Rendon Howe was agitated from the moment Master Duncan made his appearance. As if the warden commander's presence changed his plans, whatever they could be.

'Could it have anything to do with the bad feeling I have been having ever since the morning?' The young noble thought. Suddenly, Félagi, his mabari, jerked up his ears and growled towards the door. Anrothan slowly got up from his bed, his eyes on the door as well.

"Do you hear something boy?" He asked, earning another bark and a growl from the mabari. Soon enough, the sound of shouts was heard. It didn't take long for Anrothan to realize that they were under attack when the door flung open and a soldier came into view. The young noble rushed towards the soldier who looked in surprise.

"This one's awake…" He started yelling before the noble's fist connected to his face. Anrothan looked up as three more soldiers rounded on him. The noble took the sword from the soldier he just took out and attacked them as Félagi ran out of the room and lunged himself at the soldier on the right, effectively taking him out by ripping out his throat. Anrothan took advantage of his momentum and quickly disarmed the second soldier.

"Who sent you?" He yelled in anger as he disarmed the last soldier. However, a look on his opponent's shield sent chills down the young man's spine. It was adorned with a yellow and white emblem, with a brown bear on its center.

"Uncle Howe has betrayed us? But why?" He said to himself in disbelief, but he quickly shook his head. "That is not the most important thing right now. I must check on Oren and Oriana before anything else." He added as he cautiously approached the door opposite of him, his thoughts on his brother's family. The young noble noticed that there were sword marks on the door, but other than that it didn't seem like it was forcibly opened.

"Oriana? Oren? Are you ok?" Anrothan said. To his relief, his sister in law answered.

"We are alright. They were about to bring down the door, but something caused them to leave us." Oriana said as she unlocked the door. "What's going on, Anrothan?"

Just then, a couple of soldiers came from the entrance of this wing.

"They are still alive? Get them!" One of them said as they all attacked the Couslands.

"Stay back!" Anrothan yelled as he got between his family and the soldiers while talking a stance. Just then, an arrow swept past him and struck a soldier in the head.

"Who…" One of them started before he got struck by another arrow. Anrothan took a moment to look back, and saw his mother standing there, dressed in leather armor and with bow in hand.

"Don't just stand there! There are still more of them left." The Teyrna ordered when she noticed her son's surprised expression. Anrothan shook his head one more time and ran towards the remaining soldiers, his mabari at his side. After the three of them took out the intruders, Eleanor approached her family.

"Darling! I heard fighting outside and I feared the worst. Are you hurt?" She said.

"I am fine." Anrothan said.

"Good thing I barred the door when I did. These people would kill us while we were still sleeping if they had the chance." Oriana said.

"These are Uncle's men, Mother." Anrothan added. "I am starting to believe that they were delayed on purpose."

"To attack us while we are at our weakest." Eleanor added. "That bastard! I'll cut his lying throat myself!"

"Mama? What's going on?" Oren's innocent voice brought their attention to him. The poor boy was obviously scared.

'Howe does not even care that there are innocents in the castle.' Anrothan thought when he saw his nephew, anger evident on his face.

"It's ok, my son. Everything will be fine." Oriana said as she hugged her son who buried his face in her skirt while Félagi nudged him in an attempt to comfort him.

"Have you seen your father? He left with you earlier, didn't he?" Eleanor said as she turned her attention to her son.

"He wanted to talk with Master Duncan and… Howe, about the plans in the south." Anrothan said. "We must make haste. There is no telling what that man is capable of."

Before any of them could talk further, a woman's scream echoed in the room.

"That must be Landra!" Eleanor said in realization as she took off.

"Take care of Oren and Oriana, Félagi." Anrothan said to his mabari, who barked in response, and followed his mother. There, he saw Dairren clutching his stomach while getting inside a room and ran towards the enemy soldiers in order to take their focus away from the injured young man.

"A Cousland is still standing here! Come at me!" He shouted as he easily dispatched them. As the last enemy soldier fell, the door to his left opened, revealing the Teyrna and her guests. Meanwhile, Félagi entered the hall, like he knew when the danger had passed, accompanied by Oriana and a shaken Oren.

"Goodness, what is going on, Eleanor?" Lady Landra said.

"There's a good chance Rendon betrayed us, Landra." Eleanor said, causing Iona to gasp in surprise.

"The Arl? Why would he do that?" The blond lady-in-waiting asked.

"We don't know yet, but I think it's safe to move for the moment. Darling, we must find your father as fast as we can." Eleanor said as Anrothan looked outside.

"Can you hear the fighting? It comes from everywhere." He said as he came back to the group. "These are but a handful of the force that was supposed to arrive in the morning. Which means that we are bound to meet more of them. I would have no problem taking the fight to them, but…"

He didn't know how to finish that sentence. There were unarmed people in front of him. Innocents who shouldn't be dragged into political games. The young noble gritted his teeth as the Teyrna spoke.

"If Howe's men are inside, they must already control the castle. We have to find Bryce and then use the servants' entry in the larder to escape." She said with determination.

To escape. That did sound like a good plan, considering the circumstances. However…

"That snake could still be here, Mother. I cannot walk away while he destroys our home." Anrothan almost shouted in frustration, startling the people present.

"Listen, darling, we haven't much time. If we can't find your father, then you must take every unarmed person you can protect and get out of here alive. Without you and Fergus' family, the entire Cousland line dies here. Do you hear me?" Eleanor said. It was clear to Anrothan that she understood why he was angry, but she prioritized their safety. His eyes widened as he remembered something else that was important.

"The treasury. Father could have gone there to retrieve the sword and shield of Highever. We must head there first." He said, receiving a nod from the Teyrna in response.

"And then we'll go to the front gates. Your father must be there." She added as the group started going towards the treasury.

While they were on the move, Anrothan leaned on his mabari and whispered to his ear. "Protect anyone who cannot fight. You can do that, right boy?"

After Félagi barked in a way that the blond noble knew was a positive one, he turned to Dairren.

"Are you in condition to fight, Dairren?" Anrothan asked, noticing the wound on the man's side.

"Yes my lord. It's not as bad as it looks." Dairren answered with a nod, his expression turning serious as they engaged more enemy soldiers. "But still, what would Arl Howe gain by betraying the Teyrn? I don't get it."

Anrothan didn't answer, but instead focused on clearing the way. He could see guards fighting with enemy soldiers everywhere. The castle was almost reduced to ash and debris, blocking their path on many occasions.

The poker playing guards that Anrothan had seen earlier in the day lay dead in front of the treasury's door. True to the word, they didn't let anyone to the vault.

"Father is not here." Anrothan said as Eleanor unlocked the door.

"However, both the shield and the sword are here." She said. "Take them, my son. They are yours to wield now."

Anrothan nodded before he approached the weapon stand and took the family sword, a silver longsword with a blue colored hilt.

'This is Caladbolg, the sword of Sarim Cousland. Just looking at it leaves me awestruck, not even mentioning holding it.' Anrothan thought as he held it high. He then strapped the shield of Highever on his back and got out of the vault.

"To the front gates now! We must hurry!" He said as he ran towards the center of the castle, followed by everyone else. The soldiers that they had rescued during this ordeal now focused on helping those who could not fight and were fortunate enough to still be alive and that slowly calmed his rising anger.

Still, he was the Teyrn's son and the one responsible for the castle, so he, himself, had to limit the casualties as much as he could. Dashing inside the main hall, he found Ser Gilmore and a handful of guards fighting against a much larger group of soldiers. Anrothan let a war cry and got into action, taking some of the soldiers by surprise with his unexpected appearance.

"This is our chance, men! Show these bastards what the men of Highever are capable of!" Sir Gilmore said as the guards got on the offensive. Gradually, they managed to push back the invaders and closed the gates.

"Go! Man the gates! Keep these bastards out as long as you can!" Sir Gilmore ordered before he turned to Anrothan.

"My lord! You're alive! I was certain that Howe's men have gotten through." He said with a mixture of surprise and relief.

"They have gotten through, Sir Gilmore. It was thanks to our luck that we heard them before they take us by surprise." Eleanor's voice was heard as she entered the hall. "Is the Teyrn not here?"

"He was looking for you two, your ladyship. He told us to hold the hall as long as possible and to tell you to go to the servants' entry to escape should you not run into each other." Sir Gilmore said.

"Then we must go find him!" The Teyrna said before she started running towards the other exit.

"Have you seen Master Duncan?" Anrothan asked.

"It was he who warned us of the treachery. After that, he left to find you and the Teyrn." Sir Gilmore answered.

'Howe did look surprised when Master Duncan appeared. Could it be that he tried to take him out before he attacked us?' Anrothan thought as he looked back at Sir Gilmore.

"Come with us, Roderick. Thought this is not what I want to do, I fear we have to escape the castle." The young noble said.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, my lord. There are already a few of us here to bar the gates. If they fall, then Howe's full force will be unleashed in the castle." The knight said with a somber expression. "You must escape while you still can, my lord. Your brother's family is still alive, as well as others." He added as he pointed to the people who just entered the hall. "You have to help them survive."

Anrothan didn't want to admit it, but Roderick was right. He did notice that the soldiers who held the gates were showing signs of heavy fatigue, which meant that there was no time to debate.

"Just promise me one thing, Roderick. Make these scums regret the moment they set their foot on this castle." He said.

"As my lord orders." Sir Gilmore said with determination and ran towards the gates in order to help keep them shut. Anrothan begrudgingly turned and started walking towards the exit, but a familiar voice stopped him.

"I'm scared mama." Oren said. Anrothan looked back at his nephew, who seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry my little Oren." Oriana said tenderly as she knelt in front of her son. "We'll be alright. Your uncle will protect us from the bad people."

"Will you protect us, Uncle?" Oren asked, his eyes pleading, as he turned to his uncle. Anrothan approached the little boy and ruffled his hair.

"Rest assured, Oren. I will keep you all safe." He said with a smile before he turned to the rest. "Come on people, follow me."

The larder was just around the corner. He would find his father and he would manage to lead his family out of harm's way.

What awaited him, however, when he turned was another group of enemy soldiers. And this time, they had a knight with them.

"You are big." Anrothan said with a grin as the knight came at him with his maul. "I have fought bigger."

The blond noble moved to the side in order to dodge the knight's swing and tried to slash him with his sword. Unsurprisingly, the knight's armor held that blow. The knight, then, elbowed Anrothan in the face, sending him to the ground. As he was about to pummel the noble with his maul, Anrothan rolled out of the way and dodged the strike that left the knight vulnerable. Taking advantage of his lack of equipment, Anrothan swiftly got up and decapitated the knight with a smooth slash. After that, he turned to see that the rest of the guards had taken care of the remaining soldiers.

"To the kitchen, everyone. Time is of the essence." He said as he guided the people in the kitchen. There, he found Nan's body, surrounded by a couple of dead soldiers.

'Tough old woman. How many did she take out before they killed her?' Anrothan thought, a mixture of wonder and sadness on his face. However, the sight that he witnessed when he got to the larder froze him on the spot. There lay his father in a pool of blood. His mother was next to him, trying to stop the bleeding.

"There… you are. And Oriana and Oren are with you. That's good. I was… worried about you." The Teyrn said as Anrothan rushed to his side.

"What happened, Father? This wound looks mortal." He asked.

"Rendon… did that. He took a knife while I looked at a map and… stabbed me. Thankfully, Duncan… found me and helped me fend off… his soldiers." Bryce said between grunts.

"That snake! I will kill him!" Anrothan said, gripping the sword in his hand. The Teyrn noticed the family weapons in his son's possession and smiled faintly.

"You have the weapons. Good." He said before he leaned forward and coughed, hacking blood.

"Bryce, we need to get out of the castle. We can find you healing magic." Eleanor said, but the Teyrn shook his head.

"I- I won't survive the standing, I think." He said.

"Then I will carry you! I am not leaving you behind, Father!" Anrothan said.

"If only it were that simple, my son. The castle is surrounded. You won't be able to survive if you are burdened by my weight." The older Cousland responded.

"I'm afraid the Teyrn is right, Anrothan." Duncan said as he entered the larder, his blades dripping blood everywhere. "Howe's men have already surrounded the castle. The only way to escape successfully is to be swift."

"Duncan… my friend. I beg you." Bryce said, despair evident in his voice. "Get my people… to safety."

"I will, old friend." Duncan said with some hesitance. "I'm afraid I must ask a favor in return though. I came here for a recruit. The darkspawn threat demands I leave with one."

"I- I understand." The Teyrn said in defeat.

"Are you referring to me?" Anrothan said in surprise. "What about telling Fergus what happened? Or taking revenge from Howe? I will not be able to do that if I become a warden."

"Our family… always does our duty first, pup. It protects Ferelden… from any kind of threat." Bryce said. His hands were trembling as he removed a ring from his hand and gave it to Anrothan. "This ring… bears the emblem of our family. You know what to do with it."

"I- I understand." The younger Cousland said begrudgingly as he put the ring in his hand.

"Oren… my grandson. Come here." The Teyrn said as he motioned for the young boy. Anrothan noticed that Iona was helping Oriana with distracting Oren all this time.

'She must know how to talk with children. Maybe she has a kid herself.' He thought, feeling a more intense need to help everyone after witnessing this.

"Grandpa, why are you down? Did you trip and fall?" Oren innocently asked.

"This is the last time I'll see you, my boy. I won't be there to see you grow up and become a great man like your father." The Teyrn said gravely.

"Are you going somewhere grandpa?" Oren asked. The poor boy had already started crying by that point. As Oriana went to pick up her son and try to comfort him, the Cousland patriarch's face turned to her.

"Take care of Fergus and Oren, my daughter." He shakingly said.

"I will do that, father." She said, barely hiding tears herself.

"You are the best daughter I could ask for. Fergus is really lucky… to have you." Bryce said before hacking more blood. Oriana nodded in response, unable to say anything.

Suddenly, a thunderous noise was heard.

"They have broken through. We must hurry." Duncan said as he got up.

"Darling, go with Duncan. Keep our people safe." Eleanor suddenly said. Anrothan's eyes widened as he stared at his mother.

"What?" He only managed to say.

"You'll escape easier without me." She added.

"Eleanor, are you sure?" Bryce asked, his face showing surprise too.

"Till death do us part, Bryce. Did I not swear that?" The Teyrna smirked. "I'll kill every bastard that comes through that door to buy them time. You can't do it on your own. Plus, if they find both of us here, they will probably stop their pursuit on everyone else, at least for some time."

'There is no way I can persuade you, is there Mother?' Anrothan thought. It was painful how much logic there was behind her argument. He felt powerless to protect his parents. However, looking behind him, he knew that there were some people that he could protect.

"I love you both, so much." He said, giving one last hug to his parents before he got up.

"We love you too, my son. Now go and make us proud." Bryce said with a pained smile before he ordered the rest. "Everyone, go! Now!"

All of them heard him, leaving from the hidden passage with tears on their faces. Anrothan left last, but not before glancing at his parents one more time.

* * *

The small group of people gradually made their escape from the castle. They have found themselves on a hill in the Coastlands, which overlooked the entire city of Highever. It was heartwrenching for Anrothan to see his beloved castle being engulfed in fire and smoke, but he had to move on. Not only to make sure that those he managed to rescue will be safe, but to ensure his survival long enough to take his revenge.

"Are you okay, my lord?"

A voice full of concern brought him out of his thoughts as Iona came into his view.

"I am well, Iona. Thank you for your concern." He said, forcing himself to smile in order to convince the young woman. She didn't seem to fall for it, but dropped the subject anyway. Sighing, Anrothan looked forward to the scout who just returned.

"Did you find a path we can use to get to West Hill?" He asked, earning a nod from the scout, who was heavily panting.

"Yes, my lord! There's a path not too far from the Imperial Highway that's not guarded by the Arl's soldiers." The scout said.

"But we cannot count for it to stay that way for long. We need to get to West Hill and then to Bann Loren's lands through carriages as fast as we can. Thank you soldier. We shall wait for the other scouts and then continue." Anrothan said. As the scout gave a slight bow and left, Oriana and Lady Landra appeared before the blond man.

"Lady Landra! My thanks for agreeing to take everyone with you. I am in your debt." Anrothan said with a slight bow.

"You don't have to thank me, my lord. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead right now. Catering for these people is the least I can do to repay both you and Eleanor." Lady Landra said with an understanding expression.

"Are you sure about this, Anrothan?" Oriana asked with concern.

"I promised Father that I would help keep Ferelden safe. Besides, I will probably find Fergus there. What better way to assist him than fight alongside him?" Anrothan said as he chuckled. "I will be alright, sister. And I will feel better if you and Oren are somewhere safe too."

Just then, Duncan approached the three of them.

"Master Duncan, I have been meaning to talk to you." Anrothan said when he saw the Warden Commander. "Can you leave us some time to go through the plan, ladies? In the meantime, you should get ready for we depart soon. Dairren seems to be in need of new bandages for his wound too."

The two women excused themselves and went to help the rest. Meanwhile, Anrothan looked back at Duncan.

"Before anything else, we need to get these people to safety. Lady Landra agreed to take them to her castle, but we have to get them there first, or my mind will not be at ease. When we are done, you have my services." The blond man said.

Duncan was aware that Anrothan would rather avenge his parents than join the wardens, so he was impressed that the young man put his remaining family's safety, as well as his subordinates, above everything else.

"I will help you with ensuring your people's safety. However, I must tell you this; a Grey Warden's duty is to stop the Blight. Nothing, not even vengeance, precedes that. We will inform the king about what happened here and he will decide Howe's fate. As for you, I only ask that you focus on the darkspawn threat and put aside your hatred, for the time being at least. Will you promise to do that?" The Warden Commander said.

"If we do manage to end the Blight in a short time, I can do that. But, for all we know, it could last for years, even decades. Can you ask me to let that snake roam free all this time, benefiting from my parents' death?" Anrothan said. "I may be a warden recruit, but I cannot promise that I will not pursue Howe, if given the chance."

"That will do for now." Duncan said, satisfied with his recruit's answer. "To that end, we should proceed with moving the people. Then, you'll come with me on a Grey Warden business before we head for Ostagar."

'Grey Warden business?' Anrothan thought, but chose to ask the Warden Commander another time. Instead, he turned to the rest of the survivors.

"Alright everyone, it is time to move. The sooner we get to Bann Loren's lands, the faster you will be to safety." He said as the group got on the move again.

* * *

**Author's Note:**** Hehehe. This is awkward. I originally would've written it way sooner, but you see, I came across a masterpiece of a game called Persona 4. It's not that great of reason, but that's what happened. Anyway, this chapter was really hard to write. It was really challenging to import characters like Oren in the story since I had to come up with something original for the story, and I didn't want to make it too tiring. And there was not much detailed fighting, but I believe the conversations make up for it. Next chapter will show the Grey Warden business thing and the next warden recruit. Until later then!**


	3. Prologue: Amell

Anrothan sighed in relief once the group, that he was responsible for, entered Lady Landra's estate.

"That is one less thing to worry about. I hope you will be safe, everyone." He said to himself before he turned to his companion. "You mentioned something about some business related to the wardens, Master Duncan."

The Warden Commander nodded in response.

"Indeed. Our numbers in Ferelden are few and, while the Orlesian wardens have agreed to give us support, we can't be sure if they will be here in time."

"You mean to recruit more people then." Anrothan said.

"And one of the possible recruits is close to the lands we are right now." Duncan said, his gaze turning to the west. The younger man too followed the Warden Commander's look, his eyes widening as he realized where would the next recruit be.

"That is…"

"The Tower of Magi." Duncan finished. "And our next destination."

Prologue: Amell

She had been awoken in the middle of the night by the templars. She didn't understand why, and the templar who escorted her didn't seem to be in the mood to reveal the reason.

"For the last time, apprentice. You will understand why we woke you up soon." The templar who escorted her to the upper level of the Tower said as they walked through the empty hallway. It wasn't evident because he was wearing a helmet, but she could tell from his tone that he was getting exasperated by her constant questions, so she opted to stay silent after that. It wasn't long before they reached the top floor, a massive, open chamber which was used on special occasions.

Standing inside the room were four more people; First Enchanter Irving, Knight Commander Gregoir and two templars, one of which she recognized as Cullen, the young templar who was recently sent to the Circle. Before she had a chance to even greet him, the Knight Commander stepped forward to address her.

"Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Thus spoke the prophet Andraste as she cast down the Tevinter Imperium, ruled by mages who had brought the world to the brink of ruin." He started saying. "Your magic is a gift, but it is also a curse, for demons of the dream realm, the Fade, are drawn to you, and seek to use you as a gateway to this world."

While he spoke, the young mage looked around the chamber for hints as to what could the reason of her presence possibly be. Her eyes fell on a pedestal, situated in the middle of the chamber, filled with an azure liquid. Could it be?

"This is why the Harrowing exists." The First Enchanter said, causing the young mage to look back at him in realization. "The ritual sends you into the Fade, and there, you will face a demon, armed with only your will."

'A demon? This sounds more like a test of strength rather than a test of will.' She thought. Even so…

"I'm ready." The young mage said with determination.

"Know this, apprentice; if you fail, we templars must perform our duty." Gregoir said. She didn't need to hear more. If the demon took her, they would have to kill her. The Knight Commander's saddened expression only served to motivate her further.

"I understand." She said, focusing to the pedestal in front of her. It was the first time she was seeing lyrium from up close. She felt its essence calling out to her, her blood responding to it. She didn't even realize that the First Enchanter had approached her until he spoke.

"The Harrowing is a secret out of necessity, child. Every mage must go through this trial by fire, and as we succeeded, so shall you." He said, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "Keep your wits about you, and remember that the Fade is a realm of dreams. The spirits may rule it, but your own will is real."

"The apprentice must go through this test alone, First Enchanter." Gregoir interfered, his tone cold. However, when she turned to look at the old templar, his expression was soft.

"You are ready."

Nodding to both men, the young mage slowly walked towards the pedestal. As she reached the lyrium, she felt like her body was moving on its own. Her fingers brushed the liquid, and it was as if someone had hit her with electricity. Numbness took over, her vision darkened, and she didn't even feel the impact of her body falling to the ground as she drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

She was on the ground. She didn't remember why, but she was lying on the ground.

"What happened?" She said, opening her eyes. The sight of a green, cloudy sky, however, caused her to jump in surprise as she started looking around in surprise. Remembering Irving's words, the young mage tried to calm down.

"That's right. I'm in the Fade. Although, it does look different than usual." She noted, her eyes falling on a creature far from her current spot. It looked like a bear, but enormous bony spikes protruded from its fur, and it looked like it was in a state of decomposition. Suppressing a shiver, the mage began to walk towards what seemed to be the only path that was actually passable.

"Someone else thrown to the wolves, as fresh and unprepared as ever." Someone suddenly said, causing the mage to jump back and summon lightning in her hands.

"Who's there?" She said while looking around for the speaker.

"It isn't right that they do this, the templars. Not to you, me, anyone." The voice continued. To the mage's surprise, it came from below. Looking down, however, she only saw a mouse. Which was looking at her. And she was in the Fade. That could only mean one thing.

"You are not really a mouse, right?" She said.

"Nothing is as it seems in the Fade." The mouse said before it turned into a human. "Here, you are what you perceive. I think I used to be like you… before."

"What do you mean? Aren't you a spirit?" The mage asked with confusion.

"I was an apprentice like you, or at least I think I was. The templars kill you if you take too long, you see. They figure you failed, and they don't want something getting out. That's what they did to me, I think. I have no body to reclaim. And you don't have much time before you end up the same." The man said.

"Wait a minute." She said as she looked at his attire, confusion turning into suspicion. "You say you were an apprentice, but you don't wear the blue robes of an apprentice. Red is the color of the senior enchanters' robes."

"Is it?" The man said with a hint of surprise as he looked at himself. "I don't remember anymore. Maybe I had found these robes before I failed the test. Or it could be that my wish to become an enchanter helped me into changing the nature of my robe."

"Since it's the Fade, and you are what you perceive." The mage said, though she still wasn't entirely convinced. The man's next words only served to deepen her suspicions.

"I'll follow, if that's alright. My chance was long ago, but you may be able to do this." He said as he turned back into his mouse form.

'I don't like this at all.' The mage thought. 'But there might be some truth in his words. I should hurry and finish the trials.'

Looking forward, the sight of another spirit caught her eye.

"What about this one?" She said as she pointed at what looked like a humanoid spirit.

"It's another spirit that's supposed to help. It never seemed equal to its name though." The mouse said.

"What's its name?" The mage said, one eyebrow quirked.

"Valor."

There was obvious disgust in the mouse's voice. The mage was almost surprised to hear that tone.

"Well, if it can help, then I see no reason in ignoring it." She said as she walked towards the spirit, but not without noticing that the mouse kept a decent distance from it.

'Strange.'

As she came closer, she giggled at the oddity of this new spirit working on a forge. Valor, who seemed to hear her coming, turned and inspected her.

"Another mortal thrown into the flames and left to burn, I see. Your mages have devised a cowardly test. Better to pit you against each other, to prove your mettle with skill, than to be sent unarmed against a demon" the spirit said with contempt.

"I didn't sign up for this willingly. It's either take the test or suffer a fate worse than death." The mage said. "Can you help me succeed?"

"That is not my purpose. I hone my weapons in search of the perfect expression of combat." Valor said.

"So you crafted all these?" The mage said curiously as she pointed at the weapons surrounding the forge.

The spirit's form swirled as it replied. "Without a doubt. In this realm, everything that exists is the expression of a thought. Do you think these blades be steel? The staves be wood? Do you believe they draw blood? A weapon is but a single need for battle, and my will makes that need reality."

"Can I have one, then? I could really use it against the demon." The mage said with enthusiasm. It was short lived, however, since the spirit didn't look like it would help that easily.

"Do you truly desire one of my weapons? I could give one to you… if you agree to duel me first. Valor shall test your mettle as it should be tested." The spirit said.

"What? Wait a minute!" The mage said, her eyes widening in surprise, as she took a step back and pointed at the spirit in accusation. "Why do you so sound so happy about that? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are the demon in disguise. And why do you look like a templar to begin with?"

"How dare you accuse me!" The spirit said, obviously angry. "I am no demon, preying upon helpless mortals to steal their essence! I am a being of honor and valor! I am a warrior!"

"Then prove it! Help me fight the demon!" The mage shouted. The two figures, human and spirit, stood there for what seemed like ages, the latter testing the former's will.

"You are insolent, but your will is unquestionably strong." Valor said eventually, resigning from his position as he turned towards the stack of weapons. It then turned back to its original position with a wooden staff in its hands.

"Very well, mortal. You prove to me that you possess the strength to resist this demon."

The moment the mage took the staff, it started glowing in her hands.

"Wow! What's this?" She exclaimed in wonder.

"This staff is one of my greatest creations. It will serve you well in your most dire struggle." The spirit said.

"I haven't seen something like this in the Circle. Cool." The mage said as she inspected the staff.

"Before you go." Valor added with a stern expression evident on its face. "I have a piece of advice for you. Be wary of your rodent companion. He is more than what he looks."

The mage nodded in response. "I'm aware of that. Thanks for the tip though." She said with a smile.

"Then go, prove your worth as you must. I am confident that you will succeed." The spirit said before it returned to its task.

Soon after the mage stepped away from the forge, the mouse approached her.

"Can you feel it? It's here!" He said, seemingly scared. The mage didn't need his warning; she could sense it. The boiling rage of the demon.

"It's on the center of this island. You can face it, if you are ready." The mouse added.

'No choice but to fight it then.' The mage thought. As she moved towards the center, she could feel the temperature rising. She knew what she would face before she even saw it; the mass of lava known as a rage demon.

"And so it comes to me at last. Soon I shall see the land of the living with your eyes, creature. You shall be mine, body and soul." The demon said. The mage took a stance, eyes focused on her foe. It wasn't a strong one, but she still had to be careful.

"Then come and get me, if you can."

"Oh, I shall." The demon said before it turned to the mouse. "So this creature is your offering Mouse? Another plaything, as per our arrangement?"

The mage risked a glance behind to see the mouse, who had turned back to his human form by now, burying his face in his hands.

"I'm not offering you anything! I don't have to help you anymore!" He said in defiance.

"Aww, and after all those wonderful meals we shared? Now suddenly the mouse has changed the rules?" The demon responded.

"I don't need to bargain with you! Soon, I won't have to hide!" Mouse boldly declared.

"We shall see…"

Immediately, the demon leapt towards the mage, who yelped as she brought her new staff up in order to block the demon's attack. Summoning the magic in her staff, the mage threw a gale of ice that froze the rage demon and followed up by striking it with her staff, effectively shattering it into pieces.

"You did it! You actually did it!" Mouse said enthusiastically. He was cut short, though, when the mage aimed her staff at him.

"You! You say that you are an apprentice, but you worked with demon. You ate other candidates with him. How could you do something like that?" She said with a mixture of anger and confusion.

"I know that I can't take back what I did, and I regret it deeply." Mouse said with an apologetic expression. "But you- you have shown me that there is hope. You're not like the others who had no chance. You can be so much more than you know. With time, you will be a master enchanter with no equal. And maybe there's hope for someone as small and as forgotten as me. You just need to want to let me in."

Something was wrong, the mage thought. Something felt really off. She thought the mouse was suspicious from the start, and it all seemed too easy at this point. Every mage with a proper training knew that the rage demon's weakness is ice. The thought of this being a test of strength didn't seem so likely now that she thought about it.

"I'm starting to think that rage demon wasn't my real test." She said, grasping the true concept of the Harrowing.

"What? What are you…? Of course it was! What else is here that could harm a mage of your potential?" Mouse said with surprise before he looked down.

"You are a smart one." He then said, his voice nothing like it was moments ago. "Simple killing is a warrior's job. The true dangers of the Fade are misconceptions, careless trust… pride."

Before he had time to transform though, he grunted in pain. Looking at his stomach, he realized that the mage had impaled him with the staff.

"What's this? Where did you find this power?" Mouse groaned as he hacked what seemed to be blood.

"It seems that your own pride blinded you, demon. You didn't consider Valor a threat, but he had understood your true nature the moment he saw you." She said as the staff started trembling with energy.

"You are smarter than I thought, mage. Keep your wits about you. True tests never end."

"I'll remember that." The mage said, using all the concentrated magic in the staff and blasted him away. As the charred demon fell down, she swept her face while sighing in relief.

"That Valor sure knows how to make good weapons." She said to herself before she suddenly felt dizzy.

'Oh, I guess it is actually over.' The mage thought as she slowly fell to the ground while her name echoed all over the place.

"Emilie!"

* * *

"Emilie! Are you alright? Say something, please…" She heard somewhere close to her. Slowly opening her jade eyes, Emilie noticed a young man standing next to her.

"Ah! A demon!" She yelled, jumping out of the bed in the process.

"It's me, Jowan! Calm down!" The young man said. While Emilie slowly tried to get up from the floor, she noticed that he was really worried.

"Sorry, Jowan. I'm still a bit groggy." She admitted with embarrassment.

"Just… try to relax, ok? You were out cold for a couple of hours." Jowan said, finally allowing a small smile on his face. "I'm glad you're alright. They carried you in the morning. I didn't even realize you'd been gone all night."

"Really? It didn't feel like I was out for so long." Emilie said as she rubbed the back of her head. The young mage noticed that her bright red hair weren't in the ponytail that she had combed them into when the templar woke her up.

"I've heard about apprentices who never come back from Harrowings. Is it really that dangerous? What was it like?" Jowan eagerly asked. Emilie noticed that he also looked nervous for some reason.

"It was… harrowing?" She responded, not sure how to explain the experience.

"Is that why they don't tell us what it's about?" The young man said, evidently not satisfied with his friend's answer. "I know I'm not supposed to know… but we're friends. Just a little hint, and I promise I'll stop asking."

Emilie was conflicted. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the Harrowing, but, on the other hand, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got about this ordeal. She was really lucky to survive a test that involved resisting a pride demon.

"It's a test of will and strength, Jowan. You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times." She finally decided to say, causing her friend to become pale.

"I-Is that so? That sounds dangerous." He stuttered. The young woman smiled as she put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Don't worry so much about it. Relax; you will be ready when the time comes." She said in an attempt to calm him down.

"Easy for you to say. I've been here longer than you have… Sometimes I think they just don't want to test me. I'm afraid of what will happen to me." Jowan said, mumbling the last part.

Emilie stared at him in surprise. She had almost missed that last sentence. Jowan seemed to notice that, so he decided to change the topic.

"I shouldn't waste your time like this. I was supposed to tell you to see Irving as soon as you wake up." He hurriedly said. Emilie cocked an eyebrow at that statement.

"Huh? What for?" She asked.

"He didn't tell me. About the Harrowing, I guess, but you never know with Irving." Jowan responded, avoiding eye contact with the girl. "You'd better not keep him waiting. We can talk later."

Before Emilie had a chance to say anything, he exited the room along with a couple of apprentices who were leaving as well.

'Jowan looks agitated about something. I wonder what could it be.' She thought. She worried that, in his impatience, her friend would do something rash and stupid. Just then, she remembered what he told her before he took off.

'At any rate, I should go see what the First Enchanter wants to tell me.'

And with that in mind, the newly harrowed mage made her way towards Irving study. As she got closer, the sounds of an argument reached her ears.

"…Many have already gone to Ostagar, Uldred, Wynne and most of the senior mages! We committed enough of our own in this war effort…"

"Your own? Since when have you felt such kinship with the mages, Gregoir? Or are you afraid to let the mages out from under Chantry supervision, where they can use their Maker-given powers?"

Entering the study, Emilie was greeted with the sight of the Knight Commander and the First Enchanter arguing as usual. What was odd, though, was that they weren't alone. There were two more men in the room; a black haired man with a beard who carried the air of an experienced warrior stood next to the two elders, and a blond man who seemed to be younger leaned on the wall in the back. Though both of them were armed, the older man wore a custom made armor while the younger man didn't look equipped at all.

"Gentlemen, please." The black haired man intervened, nodding towards her. "Irving, someone is here to see you."

The young mage sweatdropped when the two elders turned to look at her.

"Uh, hello." She stammered with a nervous smile.

"Ah, if it's our new sister in the Circle. Come, child." Irving said, his expression softening at the sight of his pupil.

"This is…?" The black haired man whispered.

"Yes, this is she." Irving confirmed. The blond man cocked one eye at that statement, as if he inspected her.

"Well, Irving, you're obviously busy. We will discuss this later." Gregoir said before he left the room.

"Of course. Well then… where was I? Oh, yes. This is Duncan, of the Grey Wardens." Irving announced, motioning to the man beside him before he turned towards the other man. "And that's… a recruit."

Emilie blinked in confusion.

"Grey Wardens? In the Tower?" The young mage asked.

"Grey Wardens go wherever duty sends them." Duncan responded.

"And what could bring you here?" She continued, still confused. A Grey Warden's duty was to fight the darkspawn. But these creatures lurked in the Deep Roads which were inside the Frostback Mountains.

"You've heard about the war brewing in the south, I expect? Duncan is recruiting mages to join the king's army at Ostagar." Irving explained.

"But that's at the south. Is Ferelden at war with the Chasind?" Emilie wondered.

"Not quite." The Warden said. "The darkspawn threat grows in the Korcari Wilds. We need all the help we can get."

"Aren't the darkspawn a dwarven problem? Unless…"

"If we don't prevent them from invading the north, we may see another Blight." He finished the sentence, confirming Emilie's fears.

"Duncan, you worry the poor girl with talk of Blights and darkspawn. This is a happy day for her." Irving said.

"Yet we live in troubled times, my friend." Duncan stated.

"We should seize moments of levity, especially in these troubled times." Irving countered. Emilie was thankful for the First Enchanter's intervention. All this talk about the upcoming war was unsettling.

Turning to her, The First Enchanter added. "The Harrowing is behind you. Your phylactery has been sent to Denerim for safekeeping. You are officially a mage within the Circle of Magi."

It was at this point that the young mage remembered the trial she had just passed.

"That's it? That's all you have to say after you threw me to the wolves? I had to resist a pride demon!" She yelled at the First Enchanter. Irving seemed to expect that reaction from his pupil, for he didn't look surprised.

"We've all been through this, child." He simply said.

"I'm sorry- what is this phylactery?" Duncan asked, genuinely curious.

"Blood is taken from all the apprentices when they first come to the tower and is preserved in special vials." Irving explained.

"So they can be hunted if they become apostates." The warden said.

"That sounds like blood magic." The recruit noted, surprising Emilie with his sudden comment.

'I haven't thought about it that way.' She thought, her eyes widening as the sudden clarity of the moment.

"We have few choices. The gift of magic is viewed with suspicion and fear. We must prove that we are strong enough to handle our power responsibly." Irving admitted before he walked toward his office. When he came back, he was carrying a set of yellow robes, a wooden staff and a ring.

"I present your robes, your staff, and a ring bearing the Circle's insignia. Wear them proudly, for you have earned them." He announced as he handed the items to Emilie.

"Does that mean I can leave the tower now?" She asked with a hopeful expression. How she longed to see the world again.

"Patience, child. You have been through an ordeal. Let us not rush things. Remember, the tower's walls protect us as much as they protect others from us." The First Enchanter replied. The young mage noticed the elder's tired expression and decided to stay silent.

"I will return to my quarters." Duncan said, breaking the silence.

"Would you be so kind as to escort Duncan to his room, child? It's near the library." Irving asked.

"It would be my pleasure." Emilie said with a slight nod. As the warden and she were about to leave the room, she heard the recruit speak one more time.

"Master Irving, about that matter I told you earlier…"

"Rest assured, child. I'll send a healer as soon as possible." The First Enchanter replied.

"Thank you. It is partly my fault that he saw so much." The recruit said. She could hear his relief in his voice.

"Shall we go?" Duncan said. Emilie blinked for a moment before she realized she had stopped walking.

"Um, yeah. Follow me." She replied as the two left the room. They walked down the hall for some time, each to their own thoughts, before Duncan talked.

"Thank you for walking with me. I am glad for the company."

"Ah, don't mention it." Emilie said, rubbing her neck in embarrassment. "To be honest, I wanted to talk to you a little more."

"Oh? What about?" Duncan inquired with a knowing smile. Irving had already told him about the young mage's passion for knowledge of the world outside the tower.

"I've heard about darkspawn sightings, but an entire horde? Are we actually going to see another Blight?" She curiously asked.

"I'm not going to lie." Duncan responded, his expression turning more serious. "A large horde is gathering in the Korcari Wilds. It doesn't look unorganized, so we Wardens believe that an Archdemon is leading them."

"That sounds ominous." Emilie said, obviously distressed.

"Darkspawn do attack the surface in ragtag bands, but Archdemons are capable of rallying the darkspawn, turning them into an unstoppable force. A horde of darkspawn… a veritable army. It is dire news indeed. I fear this is what we have to face." Duncan added.

"And that's why Irving was arguing Gregoir? About the war?" The young mage asked. She noticed that the warden looked conflicted.

"It is not my place to comment."

"I know Grey Wardens are supposed to stay neutral, but please, I want to know." She pressed on. Duncan sighed before he started talking.

"Any mages who fight in the south will be able to unleash their full power on the darkspawn. In fact, I'm counting on that. Gregoir is afraid of what will happen after the war. After tasting freedom, will the mages still wish to be governed by the Chantry?"

"I guess I can see where he's coming from." Emilie said as she looked at the ground. "Even so-" she added, looking back at Duncan. "the mages want to protect their country. I know that's what I want to do."

The warden smiled at her statement, and it reminded her of when her father smiled proudly for her.

"We must defeat the darkspawn, one way or another. My opinions end here though." He said as they reached the guest halls. "Ah, we're here. Thank you for accompanying me."

"Before I go, there's something I need to ask." Emilie said, stopping Duncan from entering the room. "What's going on outside the tower? They don't let us apprentices to leave so…"

"I'm not a very good source of information, I fear." The warden replied with an apologetic look. "I'm preoccupied with the darkspawn incursion."

"I see." The young mage said, clearly disappointed before she smiled. "It's ok. I'm an official mage now, right? I'll be able to leave the tower in no time."

Shaking her head, she added. "I should go. Rest well mister Duncan."

"Yes, I should not keep you." Duncan said, nodding in understanding. Emilie nodded back and left the warden's presence. She needed to think about what she heard.

* * *

**Author's Note:**** Originally, I intended to write the City Elf warden and then the Mage. But then I thought that they are pretty close to the tower, while Denerim is pretty far from Bann Loren's lands, so there you have it. About the pride demon, it always bugged me how he leaves the mage be and then never reappears during the game, so I decided to take him out in a way that could make sense. Next chapter, which will include the second part of the Amell origin, will hopefully be out in less than an entire month, so stay tuned. See you later!**


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